64th Edition 2015 Fall

NORTH AMERICAN WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

ASSOCIATION

“The Voice of Resource Law Enforcement”

FALL 2015 64nd Edition NAWEOA Newsletter

2015 NAWEOA OFFICER OF THE YEAR Jessica R. Whirley,

Conservation Police Officer Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fish

Vice-President Lew Huddleston (left) presenting the Officer of the Year Plaque to Jessica R. Whirley, Conservation Police Officer

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fish

NAWEOA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

President Lew Huddleston P.O. Box 131, Menan, ID 83434

(208) 881-1321 C [email protected]

Vice President Shawn Farrell 56 Lombardi Lane, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3A 1N9

(506) 476-0377 [email protected]

Past President Dave Webster Box 850, 7290 2nd St., Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0

(250)442-5643 H (250)442-4355 W

[email protected]

Secretary/Treasurer Steve Beltran P.O. Box 7, Leaf River, Il 61047

(815)243-7777 [email protected]

Director Region 1 Lori Backen Second Floor, Provincial Building, 401 Center Street, Hanna, AB T0J 1P0

(403)845-5540 W (403)844-0672 C

[email protected]

Director Region 2 Kurt Henry 63 Granite Cress, Thompson, MB

(204)679-0731 C [email protected]

Director Region 3 Roger Selesse 69 A Boulevard Perron, Pointe a La Garde, QC, G0C 2M0

(418)788-0005 H (506)789-2336 W

[email protected]

Director Region 4 Rick Langley PO Box 1352, Pinetop, Arizona 85935


Director Region 5 Jeff Jones 405 S. Madison, Hartington, NE 68739


Director Region 6 Jason Blaylock 16234 Williamsville Rd, Kosciusko, MS 39090


Director Region 7 Kevin Clayton Po Bx 1311, Harwich, MA 02645-6311


Webmaster Robin Brandenburg 352 Hwy ‘M’, Steelville, MO 65565

(573) 775-2270 H [email protected]

Conference Liaison Scott Haney 530 CR 422, Mount Pleasant, Texas 75455

(903)305-8146 C (903)572-5242 H

[email protected]

SOUVENIR PATCHES AVAILABLE ← 2015 NAWEOA conference patches are available for purchase. The

cost per patch (including shipping and handling) for patches from 2012, 2013 and 2015 is $7.00 each USD.

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: NAWEOA

Mail to: George A. Wilcox P.O. Box 480

Millville, PA 17846 [1996 through 2010 patches are only available over-the-counter at the Game Warden Museum

Welcome to the NAWEOA Online Store.

Here you can purchase your N.A.W.E.O.A. membership, and renew or order IGW Magazine subscriptions.

You do not have to have a PayPal account to purchase items.

VISIT: NAWEOA.ORG

NAWEOA Newsletter Fall 2013 3

Fallen Officer Memorial

died in a plane crash August 9, 2015 in Little Traverse Township, Emmett County. F/LT. Green, 58, of Farmington Hills served as supervisor for the DNR’s District 9, which includes Wayne, Oak-land, Monroe, Genesee, Lapeer, Macomb and St. Clair counties.

“F/LT. Green’s death is a profound loss for the DNR and for the citizens of the state,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. “He was a dedicated professional who was deeply committed to protecting our nation, its citizens and Michigan’s natural resources. Most recently, F/LT. Green was instrumental

in the smooth transition of Belle Isle Park in Detroit to DNR man-agement. He will be greatly missed.”

F/LT. Green was en route to a meeting of the DNR Law Enforce-ment Division when the private plane he was piloting, a Piper Cherokee, crashed during its approach to the Harbor Springs

Airport. The accident occurred sometime after 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9. F/LT. Green was the only person on the plane.

First Lieutenant Arthur A. Green III

of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division


The President’s Report By Lew Huddelston

Well, Columbia is in the rear view mirror, (whew). A tremendous amount of thanks goes out to a number of peo-ple. I don’t want to try and mention everybody that contributed to the success of the confer-ence because I know I

would miss someone and I really don’t want to have that happen. Suffice it to say there were a tremendous number of people that helped put on the 2015 conference. I will take a minute to give a special thanks to Rich Cramer. Rich took on the responsibility of the conference liaison and essentially was the lead for the entire conference. There were a number of people that stepped up and helped out by handling certain aspects of the conference but Rich was the glue that held every-thing together. One other person that we need to thank was Tamara Schneider with Milligan’s. She helped out tremendously and cut us a huge break on the price it cost us. Speaking of money, we should note that the Columbia conference ended in the black. We don’t know just how much yet but we should know soon. Now looking ahead, 2016 is in Burlington Ver-mont. I for one am extremely excited. As I have never been to that part of the country. The sec-ond huge aspect of the conference is the officers with the Vermont Conservation Officers Associa-

tion are stepping up and are going to be a huge help putting on the conference. With Scott Haney providing his expertise I am really looking forward to the 2016 conference. In case you hadn’t heard the conference is going to be a five-day conference with local tours and the (in) fa-mous game warden skills games. The other big news is the executive board is con-

tinuing to exploring working with Brent Wyatt-West and Paul Dinnerman. They will be selling

advertising for our IGW magazine. Hopefully we

will have a pretty good idea where we can go

with this by the time the Vermont conference

comes around. If they are as successful for the

IGW as they have been with several state maga-

zines it could be a tremendous revenue stream

for NAWEOA.

It just seems like summer started and now we are

about ready to have the fall get going. I know in

Idaho we have been hunting elk with rifles in a

couple areas for over a month. Archery season

started state wide August 30 for deer and elk.

Soon everything will cut loose and we all will be

extremely busy. I just want to take a quick mi-

nute and wish everyone a very productive fall but

most of all a very safe fall. Looking forward to

seeing everyone next July in Burlington.

I am truly honoured and excited to be the next VP for NAWEOA and I look forward to working with the executive board and our membership. I have been employed by the provincial government (Public Safety) since 2002. As a Corporal, I am responsible for super-vising a staff of 10 while

patrolling the area of Region 3 West. For the past

year and a half I have been seconded to our Pro-vincial Headquarters as a Sergeant. My wife Shelley and I have two boys, Spencer (19) and Ryan (16) and we reside in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Most of my spare time is spent at ball fields, hockey rinks or school gymnasiums. With time left, I enjoy being outdoors hunting, fishing, canoeing and participating with various communi-ty-based volunteer organizations. I became in-volved with NAWEOA in 2003 after I attended my first conference in Newfoundland. In 2009, I was part of the organizing committee to host the NA-

The Vice President’s Report By Shawn Farrell


WEOA conference in New Brunswick. After re-ceiving a phone call asking if I would accept a nomination for VP I readily accepted. Even though I was unable to attend this summer’s con-ference in South Carolina I have heard many positive comments about the shortened confer-ence format compared to previous conferences. I would like to thank present and past board members who made this a success. As a past board and committee member, I know first-hand the dedication that goes into planning a success-ful event. Next summer’s conference will be held in Bur-lington Vermont and will return to a 5 day format. A big thank you to the Vermont Game Wardens Association for stepping forward to assist with the 2016 conference. It has been challenging lately to find host agencies during these times of fiscal restraint. We have our feelers out and with Scott Haney on as our Conference Liaison we

are in good hands. Thanks Scott for your hard work. If you know of any agencies/associations considering taking on the rewarding challenges of hosting a conference, please get in touch with NAWEOA Conference Liaison Scott Haney at [email protected] As VP, one of my key responsibilities is to work on the administration of the NAWEOA Awards. I would encourage all NAWEOA members to visit the website and check out the awards and the criteria for each one. Please take the time to con-sider submitting members for the various awards. If anyone would like to contact me my email is [email protected]. Fall is upon us and win-ter will follow. Take care and stay safe. I hope to see everyone next summer in Vermont. Shawn Farrell Vice-president NAWEOA

The Vice President’s Report (Continued) By Shawn Farrell

The Past President’s Report By Dave Webster

It seems like a lifetime ago that I attended my first NAWEOA confer-ence in Saskatoon, Sas-katchewan. It was 1996 and I was a new officer with the British Columbia Conservation Officer Ser-vice having two years of service under my belt. I

still remember attending the training sessions, competing in warden skills, meeting officers from all over and making connections that I still bene-fit from today. I have been part of NAWEOA ev-er since and it has been a part of me. I can’t boast that I have been to every conference since then, there were some bumps along the way, my wedding got in the way of the conference in 2002 and then in 2003 I was lucky enough to spend 24 hours in St. Johns Newfoundland before having to turn around and fly home for the birth of my son who decided to arrive 5 weeks early! We made it back to the conference in Manitoba in 2004 with a newborn. We hosted in BC in 2005

and it was a lot of work but an extremely reward-ing experience being able to show case where we live and work to our fellow officers. It was in Minnesota in 2007 that I became the Region 1 Director for this incredible organization. My kids are older now and have made their own NAWE-OA connections and memories. They look for-ward every summer to reuniting with their friends from Illinois and making new ones from all over during the conference. I now sit here after the conference in Columbia, South Carolina as past president and look back at NAWEOA and everything it has done for me both professionally and personally and I am truly humbled and grateful. This organization exists to promote and further our profession while rec-ognising the heroes among us that do extraordi-nary things every day and are rewarded merely by being able to get up the next day, put on the uniform and do it all over again. NAWEOA be-lieves strongly in being there for the fallen and supporting their families during their darkest hour. One of the strongest core values that NA-WEOA represents is that we are all family no

mailto:[email protected]



matter what colour the uniform or what state or province it represents, we are all in this together. It is one of the first things you will notice when you attend a conference and start to talk to offic-ers from other states or provinces: our issues, concerns and experiences are all very similar and we understand each other. My strongest wish is that new officers and those officers that have not participated in what NAWE-OA offers get the chance to do so and in turn ex-perience even a small part of what I have experi-enced over the past 20 years. I can tell you that the NAWEOA Executive is made up of hard

working folks who only want the best for the as-sociation and its members. We need to stay strong and active as members to ensure that the vision of those few officers gathered in Montana so many years ago continues to grow and pros-per for the next generation going forward.

Stay safe Dave Webster Past President NAWEOA

The Past President’s Report (Continued) By Dave Webster

After 15 years Rob Brandenburg will be stepping down from his position as Web Mas-ter. NAWEOA is looking for interested individuals to apply for the position. The Webmaster and Newsletter Editor position if appointed by the NAWEOA board. You must have a computer and high speed internet access. Rob will be working with you as you transi-tion into this position. Your responsibilities will include but are not limited to;

Web Page Maintenance E Commerce Coordination and Implementation Board Blog Monitoring Award Database Administration Fallen Officer Database Administration NAWEOA Newsletter published 2 times per year

With your resume please indicate your experience with the following areas.

HTML/CSS PHP My Admin PHP/SQL Content Management Systems

Joomla WordPress

Facebook Newsletters

Email applications to [email protected] with a copy to Lew Huddleston at [email protected]

Webmaster and Newsletter Editor Wanted


2015 NAWEOA Conference Report Columbia, South Carolina

By Rich Cramer

This year marked the first time in memory that the annual summer conference was absent a traditional “host” agency or association. The NAWEOA board of directors, with the able assistance of Milligan Events, served as the “host” for this year’s conference. The board held a business meeting on Sunday the 26th of July to kick off the week. This al-lowed the board members, along with other NAWEOA members who volunteered their time, to spend all day Monday the 27th dealing with all of the last minute details planning and hosting a conference entails. By the end of the day on the 27th everything was prepared and set-up for the next day. Tuesday the 28th of July dawned with typical “famously hot” Columbia weather as the attending officers met in the lobby of the downtown Columbia Marriott. The active officers were all in uniform as they and their families made the short walk to the steps of the South Carolina Capitol building for a group photo. Once back at the hotel all as-sembled for the opening ceremonies and the tribute to fall-en officers. The opening ceremonies are a solemn event where you find yourself proud to wear your uniform and represent your agency, honored and sad to be witness to the fallen officer tribute as well as happy and envious as the NAWEOA Officer of the Year recipient is announced. The South Carolina DNR Honor Guard opened with the presen-tation of colors. This year we honored the memory of Rhode Island Environmental Police Officer Seth Gillis who tragically lost his life after complications from surgery re-sulting from a work related injury. The 2015 NAWEOA Officer of the Year was awarded to Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fish Law Enforcement Officer Jessica Whirley. The Keynote speaker this year was Scott Vance, Assistant Vice President & Director of Outdoor Centers for the Na-tional Wild Turkey Federation. Scott did an excellent job leading the group up to the Officer’s and Spousal lunch-eons. A number of officer awards were presented, includ-ing the Torch Awards, at the luncheon. Probably the most popular segment of the luncheon occurs near the end with the annual officer exchange drawing. These trips are high-ly coveted and are a once in a lifetime opportunity. Additional training opportunities throughout the remainder of the day included a program by Richard Johnston, Depu-ty Chief of the Division of Refuge Law Enforcement, USFWS, a program by Ranger First Class David Webb of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and a pro-gram by Dr. Jack Mayer of the Savannah River National Laboratory. In the early evening registered participants were bussed to a local park to partake in the annual Torch Run 5K and fun walk. This event, started by the Federal

Wildlife Officers Association, is held during the confer-ence each year to raise funds for the North American Game Warden Museum. After the torch run folks returned to the Marriott for another evening of camaraderie and network-ing in the hospitality room. Wednesday morning began with both the Retired Officer’s breakfast and the Female Officer’s breakfast. These small events are an opportunity for our retired and female offic-ers to get together to discuss issues of mutual interest. The training that morning was conducted by Captain Todd Radabaugh of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Com-mission. The first of several NAWEOA general member-ship meetings occurred just before lunch. Along with the regular NAWEOA business the candidates for election to the NAWEOA board of directors gave their speeches then as well. After lunch the training was given by Brian Willis of the Winning Mind Institute out of Calgary, Alberta. Brian’s training session was sponsored by the Association of Natural Resource Enforcement Trainers (ANRET). Hospitality capped off the night as we enjoyed some live entertainment sponsored by Double Tap Ammunition. Thursday’s events began with the Jurisdictional Repre-sentative Breakfast. This small event is held annually to honor all of the J-Reps in attendance at the conference. The J-Reps are the communication link between the board of directors and the membership. They serve an extremely important roll for the association and the breakfast is one way to say thank you. The morning training session was held by Keith Byers, Retired Sergeant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and current partner with Hunting and Shooting Related Consultants. Just before lunch some additional NAWEOA business was presented to the general membership along with the officer exchange presentations. The officers who win these annual trips are tasked with returning to the subsequent conference to pre-sent a program detailing their trips. The afternoon training session was held by Scott Frederick and Jason DeCoskey, both officers with the PA Game Commission. A brief closing ceremony was held and then folks got ready to enjoy the closing awards banquet. At-tendees enjoyed a fine meal and great live entertainment. Although there was an abbreviated schedule and a few longstanding and traditional events did not take place over-all the conference was a huge success thanks to the efforts of our dedicated and generous membership. Thanks to all who attended, to all who provided financial support and to all who worked their tails off in Columbia to bring the event to a successful conclusion. We’ll see you all in Ver-mont next year.


Hello fellow offic-ers, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Region 4 NAWEOA Direc-tor. Thank you to all who attended and supported our 2015 Conference in Columbia, SC. I am honored to have

been nominated and elected for this position! Thank you Gabe Paz for your service these last 2 years. I have worked for the Arizona Game and Fish Depart-ment for the past 22 years, spending the first 12 years as a Wildlife Manager/Game Ranger and then the past 10 years as a Regional Game Specialist out of Pi-netop, AZ in the beautiful (and cool) White Moun-tains of eastern Arizona. The diversity of Arizona’s landscape and recreational opportunities provide non-stop challenges and entertainment. Being a commis-sioned officer and a biologist really helps connect my passions for wildlife law enforcement and conserva-tion. My involvement with NAWEOA began in 2005 when I was Vice President of the Arizona Game Rangers Lodge, FOP #71 and was able to attend the confer-ence in Penticton, BC. I immediately found the ca-maraderie of this gathering to be infectious and con-tinue to attend these conferences, receiving valuable training, making personal and professional contacts, and forging lifelong friendships. I look forward to representing the western U.S. and bringing all of us together to share information and experiences and help NAWEOA continue to succeed. It takes involvement from all of our member agencies to be successful and remain relevant. I look forward to meeting you in Burlington, VT in 2016! Until then, feel free to contact me at any time. Be safe! Rick Langley NAWEOA Director, Region 4 [email protected] Cell: (928)606-1667

Region 4 Director Rick Langley

Region 5 Director Jeff Jones

I was elected to represent NAWEOA’s Region 5 as director in Co-lumbia, S.C. at this summer’s conference. I began my law enforce-ment career in 1996 and ac-complished my goal of becoming a Nebraska Conservation Officer in 2004. I am married to Heather Jones and we have 3 children, Bailey, Mackenzie and Carson. We have been a fa-miliar face at NAWEOA conferences since 2008, when we attended our first NAWEOA conference. My teammates from Nebraska and I ; Ray Dierking, Mike Thome, Doug Pollard and Randy Nelson from Kamloops, BC won the 2013 Warden Skills Games. I am assigned Cedar and Knox counties in Nebraska, and patrol Lewis and Clark Lake and Gavin’s Point Dam, which is the last dam on the Missouri River. I have just completed my 6 year term as president of the Nebraska Conservation Officer’s Association. I have also served as the Nebraska J-Rep and Secretary for the Nebraska Conservation Officers Association. I also serve as a field training officer and firearms ar-morer for the Law Enforcement Division of the Ne-braska Game and Parks Commission. One of my joys is waterfowl hunting with my Chesa-peake Bay retriever, Cisco. You also might find me boating with my family, bow fishing on the Missouri River and shooting silver carp before they take me out. I can’t stress how beneficial being active in NAWE-OA has been for me. The contacts and friendships that I have made by attending a NAWEOA confer-ence has helped me in my duties as a conservation law enforcement officer, not to mention the quality of training one receives by attending a NAWEOA con-ference. Please feel free to contact me; Jeff Jones NAWEOA Director, Region 4 [email protected]



Hello from Missis-sippi. I hope eve-ryone is doing well and has recovered from the summer vacation tour and gearing up for an-other busy hunting season. Here in Mississippi we have started our Alligator season and are quickly moving toward Dove and our other

fall seasons. For those who weren’t able to attend the con-ference in South Carolina this summer, myself and several others were fortunate enough to be elected as your new jurisdictional representatives. So with this letter I’d like to introduce myself to the rest of the NAWEOA membership. I was brought up in the outdoors all my life, so the logical choice for my career seemed to always steer me in that direction. I have been employed with the Mississippi De-partment of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks since 1999. I hold the rank of Master Sergeant and currently work as a field officer in Attala County. I reside in Kosciusko (pronounced Kozy-es-co) with my wife Krista and our 3 boys (Hunter, Grayson, and Bailey). I am also a member of our Mississippi Wildlife Enforcement Officers Associa-tion where I have served as the Secretary/Treasurer since 2002. As I undertake this new position, I look forward to the op-portunities it will provide not only to me but to the entire NAWEOA membership. I look forward to bringing the same passion I have for the stewardship of our resources in Mississippi as I do for the successfulness of this associa-tion. I also hope that my experience on the board of the Mississippi Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association will be beneficial in bringing new ideas and viewpoints to an already great NAWEOA board. I look forward to serv-ing as your Jurisdictional 6 Representative and working hand in hand with the other representatives to ensure this association is the strongest it can be. With your help I know we can succeed in all our endeavors. If you have any questions, comments, or need to know anything, don’t hesitate to give me a call. You can reach me by email at [email protected] or 662-289-6341. Until next time, stay safe, serve with pride, and live this life God has given us as an example for others to follow.

Region 6 Director Jason Blaylock

Region 7 Director Kevin Clayton

I have been a Massachu-setts Environ-mental Police Officer since 1987; NA-WEOA con-ference at-tendee since Camp Hill, PA in the ear-ly 1990's. I have been a long time Ju-

risdictional Representative and member of the Board of Stewards for the Massachusetts Environmental Po-lice Officers Assn [EPOA]. My current assignment is as Patrol Supervisor, covering the towns of Province-town, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans, Chatham, Harwich, Brewster and Dennis. As Director-Region 7 and as Mark Allegro, before me, I hope that we may stay connected. Two-way communication is important. In John C. Maxwell's The Complete 101 Collection, he writes that “'The goal is more important than the role'” Clearly, finding NAWEOA's voice is more important than the individuals represented. That goal of finding and making that voice heard is more im-portant than the Jurisdictional Representatives, the Directors or the Executive Board. Each of us, each one of us, focusing upon the goal of helping NAWE-OA grow in influence in North America will abso-lutely propel all of us toward the enhancement of Conservation Wildlife Law Enforcement. We, the individuals, can achieve this, BUT we must pull to-gether simultaneously, in the same direction under the direction of NAWEOA's Executive President Lew Huddleston(Idaho). If any of you see/read of any actions or potential ac-tions (state or federal) which may benefit from hear-ing the voice of the North American Wildlife En-forcement Officers Association, do not hesitate to contact me or any others of the Directors. Fraternally Yours, Sgt. Kevin L. Clayton, M.P.A. NAWEOA Director, Region 7



During the conference there were two execu-

tive meetings and two general business meet-

ings. I would like to take this opportunity to

thank all those members who attended the gen-

eral business sessions as it is extremely im-

portant to have as many members as possible

attend these meetings to provide comment and

input to the Executive Board

It is customary for the NAWEOA Board of Di-

rectors to meet all day just prior to the opening

of the summer conference and this year was no

exception. There was a slight change as the

board held their executive meeting on the Sun-

day prior to the conference as Monday was

designated as a work day for final preparations

before opening ceremonies on Tuesday.

The board met at the conference hotel on July

26th at 0800hr to discuss a wide variety of top-

ics which included regional reports from the

directors, Rob Brandenburg presented the

Webmaster/Newsletter report and an update

from Conference Liaison Scott Haney was

given to the board. One of the most important

parts of this meeting is the reviewing of the

budget and preparing it to be presented to the

membership for approval. This year a big topic

of discussion was future conference sites and

possible host jurisdictions. The meeting was

adjourned at 1717 hrs.

On July 29th at 1000 hrs NAWEOA business

resumes with the general membership in at-

tendance and the budget is presented for dis-

cussion and approval by NAWEOA Secretary

Treasurer Steve Beltran. An IGW update was

provided by Marion Hoffman regarding a new

partnership with Brent Wyatt-West Advertising

to increase ad space and revenues. Scott

Haney made a presentation outlining next

year’s conference to be held in Burlington Ver-

mont. Past president Rich Cramer then ad-

dressed the membership regarding elections as

all four US Regions would be up for election

this year as well as President and Vice Presi-

dent. Meeting concluded at 1200 hrs.

The second general business meeting was held

on July 30th at 1100 hrs. Rob Brandenburg

provided a website/Newsletter update and an-

nounced that he would be retiring in a year and

that his position would need to be filled. Jon

Tofteland then spoke on behalf of the Interna-

tional Game Warden Museum. Meeting was

adjourned at 1120 hrs.

The executive held their second and final

meeting on Friday July 31st at 0900 hrs. New-

ly elected President Lew Huddleston from Ida-

ho chaired the meeting and welcomed the four

new US Directors to the board, Rick Langley

from Arizona, Jeff Jones from Nebraska, Jason

Blaylock from Mississippi and Kevin Clayton

from Massachusetts. Topics discussed includ-

ed board member responsibilities, NAWEOA

response to a US Federal issue on wildlife of-

ficers not requiring firearms on federal lands

and a letter of response is to be sent by Presi-

dent Huddleston. The board then discussed

assignments for the upcoming conference in

Vermont as there is again no official host next

year. The Board then heard from Jeff King the

Training Coordinator for ANRET who is inter-

ested in partnering with NAWEOA through its

annual conference.

Meeting adjourned at 1100 hrs.

2015 NAWEOA Business Meetings & Elections By Dave Webster


2015 NAWEOA Officer of the Year Award Jessica R. Wirley, Virginia Senior Conservation Officer

By Lew Huddleston

I’ve noted a couple times that the position of Vice President comes with a number of duties and not a lot of things that you can really classify as fun. However, it really is enjoyable to be able to contact a single of-ficer and let them know they have been selected from the over 8000 officers in NAWEOA as the NAWEOA Officer of the Year. This is my second go around with the OOY award and it was as enjoyable the sec-ond time as it was the first. I have to tell a little story about when I was finally able to talk to the OOY on the phone for the first time. I had to contact the head-quarters enforcement office to get the contact infor-mation. I had to tell them of the award and asked them not to say anything. The officer and I played telephone tag for a few days. When I was finally able to contact the officer I went through a somewhat pre-pared spiel about who I was, who I was representing and that I would like to congratulate them on their se-

lection as the NAWEOA 2015 Office of the Year. After a short pause and silence the response back was, “Who are you with”. I could just feel the air releasing from my big presentation over the phone. The officer and I laughed about it later over a beer at the confer-ence. It was my profound pleasure to present the 2015 NAWEO Officer of the Year award to Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Senior Conservation Officer Jessica R. Whirley. The following is a small part of the entire nomination letter. Jessica’s commitment to her law enforcement duties, whether on or off duty, and her community relations experience, has proven beneficial to our law enforce-ment unit and the community. This level of dedica-tion has played a huge role towards ensuring that all


calls for service are answered in a timely manner. Jes-sica grew up in Prince Edward County, Virginia, where she attended Prince Edward High School. After graduation, she attended Southside Virginia Commu-nity College and then Longwood University. It was then that she made a decision to pursue a profession in law enforcement. Since joining the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) as a Conservation Police Officer in 2007, Jessica has used both her edu-cational background and on the job experiences to identify and solve problems that involve high degrees of critical thinking. She consistently leads her peers in violations detected. This has a direct correlation to her work ethic and commitment to her job responsibil-ities. She is a Department of Criminal Justice (DCJS) instructor and volunteered to serve on the divisions Defensive Tactics specialty training unit. Officer Whirley also serves as a Field Training Officer (FTO). This additional voluntary duty requires her to routine-ly modify her personal work schedule in order to best provide probationary officers with exception training towards becoming a well-rounded officer. It is a pleasure to work with and be around her on a daily basis and her positive attitude and strong work ethic to serve her constituents is apparent. Jessica is a natural when it comes to interview and interrogation skills. She is a talented and professional law enforcement officer! During calendar year 2014, Senior Conservation Po-lice Officer Jessica Whirley made 305 arrests. These

arrests covered a broad range of illegal activity rang-ing from boating (20), hunting (218), fishing (48), to general criminal activities (19). During the hunting season, she concentrated her efforts on detecting seri-ous hunting related violations within her district. She charged 15 individuals with spotlighting deer, 14 indi-viduals with trespassing to hunt, 4 individuals for hunting during a closed season, 7 individuals for ex-ceeding the bag limit, 3 individuals for shooting from a vehicle, 7 individuals with shooting across the road way and 5 individuals with possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony. During the late part of the 2013-14 hunting season, Whirley spearheaded a comprehensive, lengthy and challenging investigation which concluded in January 2014. It began with a call from a confidential inform-ant, notifying DGIF of several deer that had been ille-gally killed at night by a convicted felon. She launched an investigation that took months to com-plete due to collecting information from numerous in-terviews, plain clothes/vehicle patrols, coordination with informants and the consistent monitoring of so-cial media websites. This investigation resulted in a total of 61 arrests.

It was a pleasure meeting her at NAWEOA and I

would again like to

say Congratulation.

Information regarding NAWEOA Jurisdictional Representatives,

Names Contact information

The jurisdictions they serve Etc.

Can be found elsewhere on the NAWEOA website naweoa.org


2015 NAWEOA AWARDS By Lew Huddleston

Over the existence of N.A.W.E.O.A. the organization has believed deeply in recognizing the commitment of wildlife law enforcement professionals. The awards N.A.W.E.O.A. has recognizes people and agencies that have performed outstanding work, exemplary service to the public or have contributed to wildlife law enforcement in other ways. The awards program is engrained within the constitution of the association and many of the objectives speak to the im-portance of recognizing our own officers. It is the Vice Presi-dents duties to administer the awards program. It is a tremen-dous amount of work. However, it is extremely rewarding and humbling when you get the chance to call an officer and out of the blue congratulate them on behalf of 8000 members strong they have been selected as the Officer of the Year. Another very humbling aspect is to ac-tually meet some of the individuals nominated for the awards. Once you meet them you realize they are just regular people that either do extra ordinary work or found themselves in a situation where they per-formed a heroic act of courage. Awards are present-ed annually at the summer conference. Officers in attendance are presented with their award in front of their peers

This year NAWEOA was pleased to announce that it received 57 different nominations for various awards. It is a credit to all those officers who have taken the

time to nominate a fellow officer because the honor of being nominated by a peer is, in essence, the real reward. With so many awards each year, NAWEOA has es-tablished a “Wall of Honor” which is displayed at the summer conference for the membership to view that

year’s award recipients.

One thing I would like to add and close on is that N.A.W.E.O.A. relishes in rec-ognizing its members. So please, please if you super-vise, or know of an officer do-ing extra ordinary work please go on the N.A.W.E.O.A. web-site and fill out the nomination form. This year there were two regions that had no nomi-nations for the Torch award. There has to be deserving

officers with less than 5 years’ experience in those regions that should have been nominated. Please take to time to submit a nomination.

Tremendous thanks go out to Rob Brandenburg as the web master for creating the templates and making the process pretty simple. Huge Thanks also go out to former Vice President and current Past President for realizing there had to be an easier way. See you in Vermont!!!

Annually the officer exchange draw is held dur-ing the officer’s luncheon at the summer confer-ence with a winner and alternate being picked from the United States and Canada. The Canadian winner was Pierre-Luc Denis with the National Capital Commission and the alter-nate Ken Aube with Saskatchewan Conserva-tion. The American winner was David Youngquist of Wisconsin DNR and the alternate

was Thomas Caife of New York. Last year, Kurt Henry from Manitoba trekked to Mississippi and Ian Knight from Nevada visited Ontario Thanks to those jurisdictions that will or have hosted an officer exchange and also to the agencies that support their officers in taking part.

2015 Officer Exchange Winners By Kurt Henry

Randy Sullivan, Idaho Fish and Game, receives a Torch Award


STANDARDIZED FIELD SOBRIETY TESTING 2015 NAWEOA Conference Training Review

By Kurt Henry

As officers in the field we are constantly looking for ways to make standard police work in our non standard world. Captain Todd Radabaugh of the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission has been instructing the Standardized field sobriety testing (SFST) since 2000. The SFST is a method to assist officers in the field to make arrest / no arrest decisions in conditions were the Walk and Turn and One leg Stand test were not feasible either by injury to the subject or the physical sur-rounding do not allow for it, i.e. in a boat on an ATV or snowmobile were ground conditions do not make it possible. An everyday occurrence in our work environment! This training session intruded officer in attendance to these tests and directed them to training opportunities for their department in order to add the SFTS to their law enforcement toolbox. I very practical tool when our liability is being tested each time we fail to correctly identify and impaired operator of a motor vehicle. The test is broken down to a pre test set of questions and then four different officer observed tests. This bat-tery of questions and directions seems daunting at first but with the assistance of the National Association of State Boating Law administration they have produced a pocket sized test form. All directions and results can be recorded on this card. The four tests are: Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Finger to Nose, Palm Pat and Hand Coordination. At each stage the officer reads off the card the direction to the subject and looks for and records the evaluation crite-ria for distinct clues. In each stage the clues are recorded and if they reach the threshold described you are in an arrest situation. This test compared against the standard roadside testing as mentioned above has proven a greater correct decision making by the officer in arrest no arrest situations. This introduction to this test method has given officers in attendance the exposure to encourage further train-ing in this field. I believe it is a very useful tool for field officers to assist in an often challenging environ-ment to make correct and accurate decisions in the situation we find ourselves.

“RECOGNIZING THE GOOD GUYS”

is a special column which was initiated by Pat Brown several issues back. We will continue to recognize Wildlife Enforcement Officers who have received awards or recognition in the Spring issue of the NAWEOA

Newsletter. This recognition may be from their own agencies, officer associations, civic groups, outdoor-oriented organizations, etc.

So be prepared to send appropriate information about your fellow officers who have received awards since

the previous Spring issue of the NAWEOA Newsletter.

This information should be sent to your NAWEOA Jurisdictional Representative so that he/she can compile a list for your Region. It should be received by your J-Rep no later than February 15th.

Fortunately, we hear of many Wildlife Enforcement Officers who have been honored

by a variety of awards and recognition. Make sure that we hear about your fellow officers!

Unfortunately, there is limited space to recognize these officers in the Newsletter,

so the information will be limited to: Name, rank or title, agency name, award name, and year if appropriate.


OPERATION SOMETHNING BRUIN 2015 NAWEOA Conference Training Review

By Gabe Paz

David Webb provided NAWEOA officers with an excellent presentation and debrief of a covert investiga-tion that he worked for over three years as an undercover investigator for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The covert investigation included officers from the North Carolina Wildlife and Resource Com-mission, US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Webb’s investigation began in 2010 and after patiently working their way into the bear hunting community, David and his partners were running with criminals who were poaching black bears and commercializing bear parts. They also learned that most of the bear poachers they dealt with had knowledge of an older bear case in that region called “Operation Smokey” and many were extremely suspicious about Game Wardens attempting to gain entry into their tight knit groups. While listening to David’s presentation I was amazed at what a great job the undercover officers did to infil-trate the groups. From doing their homework and hanging out at local businesses where they saw dog boxes, to purchasing their own hounds as a way to assimilate with the poachers. The hounds they purchased actual-ly ended up being a blessing as they won a regional big game trial that helped build their credibility within the poaching circles and opened new doors for them as they were now becoming expert hounds men. Throughout David’s presentation we were enlightened about some of the methods the poachers used to take bears unlawfully like placing motion collars on the bear bait sites so they would know when bears were at the location. Ultimately the case resulted in 8 defendants from Georgia and 26 defendants in North Carolina being charged. The take down and warrants took a week to execute! A few of the “bag guys” were also de-fendants in Operation Smokey which is a reminder to all Game Wardens about how many poachers just don’t learn! After all was said and done, almost every defendant plead guilty or was found guilty. As most undercover officers will testify, making great cases and catching hard core poachers is truly reward-

ing and something that we all take pride in, but Webb’s biggest take home message was clear to everyone in

the room about just how important our families are to us and the fact that we always have to “put family

first”. After this case David has gone back to the field and is once again back in uniform. David learned a

lot during the investigation and after all was said in done, he reminded us all to be sure and make time for

your family and always remember that the “Poachers will be there tomorrow”.

2015 NAWEOA Attendees, Columbia South Carolina


In to W.I.N.? 2015 NAWEOA Conference Training Review

By Kevin L. Clayton, M.P.A. Director Region 7

The Association of Natural Resource Enforcement Trainers (ANRET) met during the Columbia, South Carolina NAWEOA annual conference from 31 July through 2 August 2015. Prior to that meeting, ANRET sponsored a training presentation for NAWEOA. In a collaborative effort with NAWEOA, ANRET sponsored a training presentation by Mr. Brian WILLIS, own-er/instructor of The Winning Mind Training (www.winningmindtraining.com) to the NAWEOA membership.

WILLIS’ presentation, “The Pursuit of Personal Excellence” proposed that one of life’s most important questions asks us the following question: “What’s Important Now?” This tenet reappears in another context: the Below 100 Initiative. (www.below100.org) Below100 also counsels all law enforcement officers to focus on the pre-sent—“What’s Important Now?”, Wear our vests (seatbelts and ballistic), Watch our speed and Remember: Com-placency kills. On Thursday, WILLIS visited with ANRET representatives and attendees from Nunavut, Florida, Manitoba, Ohio, Wisconsin, Quebec and other jurisdictions represented by officers who may have wandered in to enjoy dif-ferent discussions from the usual NAWEOA offerings. This training presentation and discussion topic, again by WILLIS, was entitled “Excellence in Training”. This presentation featured discussion based upon experience and texts of popular authors, such as QUIET by Su-san Cain; RESILIENCE by Eric Greitens; THE GIFT OF FEAR by Gavin De Becker and GOOD TO GREAT by Jim Collins and others. His premise in this session was for trainers to focus upon four words: STOP --- START --- CONTINUE --- CHANGE Ask these questions as they relate to your experience as trainers:

What do we STOP doing as trainers? What do we START doing as trainers? What shall we CONTINUE doing in training? What do we CHANGE in how, what, when, where and/or why we train?

WILLIS discussed using these questions to help us to re-focus and refine our training tasks. One favorite idea, which took me by surprise was considering the inclusion of a training perspective when in the process of “spec-ing out” or purchasing patrol vehicles. Ideas to consider may include a question such as, “Are the new vehicles to be equipped to facilitate training media, e.g., CDs, audio input(audio jacks) so that each oper-ator may benefit from the ability to access podcasts, audio books with or without a mobile data terminal?” KEY POINTS of the session for me were these: --- “Stress is less important (in training) than context” ---“Your job as a trainer (includes Field Training Officers and others) is to expand people’s comfort zone(s), not to keep people within their comfort zone(s).” There were several other topics on the ANRET agenda. These included body camera use and deployment by wildlife officers and a proposed merger of ANRET with NAWEOA. ANRET President Jeffrey King (Wisconsin DNR) and Secretary-Treasurer Elaine O’Neill (Parks Canada) were

present and administered the ANRET business meeting.

http://www.winningmindtraining.com


2015 NAWEOA Opening Ceremonies By Dave Webster

The 34th annual NAWEOA Conference was held in “Famously Hot “Columbia, South Car-olina and this beautiful city did not disappoint in living up to its billing. The opening ceremonies took place at the Downtown Marriott hotel and the morning be-gan with all uniformed and retired officers walking the three blocks down to the state capitol building where a group photo was tak-en on the steps of this historic site. All officers and guests then returned to the ho-tel and were seated in the main ball room. The NAWEOA Executive Board was then piped into the ballroom by local piper Glen Adams and took their place on the main stage.

We were honoured this year to have Jennifer Gillis, wife of fallen officer Seth Gillis from Rhode Island in attendance. The presentation of colours was made by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Honour Guard led by SCDNR Captain John “Billy” Downer. After the colours were placed the singing of both national anthems was per-formed by Jake and Melanie Webster and Julianna Beltran. All three did a wonderful

job and made their parents very proud. The conference was then called to order and President Webster read the tribute to fallen of-ficer Seth Gillis of the Rhode Island Environ-mental Police Department. Officer Gillis died of complications as a result of an injury suf-fered while on duty. Two officers from Rhode Island escorted Jennifer Gillis to the confer-ence and took part in the tribute by placing of-ficer Gillis’s hat and the Rhode Island state flag on the memorial while the piper played amazing grace. Taps was then played by George Rice to conclude the tribute. It was a very emotional beginning to the conference. President Webster then read the roll call of ju-risdictions before turning the podium over to Vice President Lew Huddleston for the presen-tation of Officer of the Year Award. The invocation for the conference was then given by South Carolina Police Chaplin, Eric Skidmore. It was time then for the Key note speaker Scott Vance from the NWTF to take the podium and give his presentation on “Save the Habitat – Save the Hunt” and the future of hunting in North America.

Jennifer Gillis, wife of fallen officer Seth Gillis and Rhode Island Officers

Key note speaker Scott Vance from the National Wild Turkey Federation


2015 NAWEOA Conference First Time Attendee By Candice Sudlovenick , Nunavut

On July 28th

2015 I had the privilege of going to the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officer Association (NAWEOA) in Columbia South Car-olina. This conference is held every year be-tween Canada and the United States, officers from both counties get together, ex-change business cards and see how enforcement is done around North America. We had speakers at the conference every day; I found it very informative, professional and motivating. One speaker spoke of personal excel-lence and how we should try to be the best we can every day, I will apply this in a pro-fessional matter, and I will try every day to be the best Conservation Officer I can be. From speaking to other officers I realize they deal with more people than we do here in Nu-navut, some officers speak to over 150 people in one day. Officers from Nunavut deal with wildlife more than people in most cases. I also realized how important it is to educate others on fishing and hunting, especially the younger generation. Not everyone has the opportunity to go hunting, camping or fishing and we should educate the importance of having respect for the wildlife and environment. One of the speakers mentioned he works with kids all the time and he heard two boys who got very excited to see a cow for their first time, be-cause they live in a city with no wildlife around. Its younger people like this we need to educate to keep in touch with nature.

What I gained from the conference is motivation to work harder as a Conservation Officer, seeing how hard other officers work, knowledgeable and professional they are, I will strive to be the best I can achieve, I am hoping I will be privilege

again to return to NA-WEOA. Not only do we make contacts with other officers in North America but we make friends. I am happy I got to attend the confer-ence, I will try to make it to more con-ferences in the fu-ture. I do hope I keep in contact with the people I met. I en-courage everyone to go if the opportunity arises.

Regards Candice Sudlovenick Conservation Officer II

Editors Note; I had a chance to talk with Candice

and Jon Neely, both officers from Nunavut.

Each year The Department of Environment,

sends two officers to the NAWEOA Conference.

They had to travel for 2 days to get to the confer-

ence. Nunavut is both the least populous and

the largest in area of the provinces and territo-

ries of Canada. One of the most remote, sparse-

ly settled regions in the world, it has a population

of 31,906 , spread over a land area the size of

Western Europe. Being from above the artic cir-

cle where the high summer temperatures are in

the 50’s Fahrenheit Candice and Jon were both

struck with the heat of “Famously Hot” Colum-

bia, South Carolina. Candice also mentioned

the cheap food.

Candice Sudlovenick and Jon Neely, Nunavut, Canada. It took them 2 days air travel , one way to get to the conference.


NAWEOA 2015 was held in Columbia, South Carolina which provided an opportunity to experience many attrac-tions around the Columbia area as well as within a few hours of Columbia. I had the opportunity to take in quite a few things during my trip to the conference. I flew into Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte has much to offer and provided some great shopping and restaurants at the Epi-center in downtown Charlotte. If you are a fan of NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) you must take in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It shows the evolution of the sport from its roots where it all started with running moonshine to the sport it is today. The Hall of Fame has many displays and much of information on the sport. There are numerous race cars dating way back to present day cars. There are also many different interactive activities to take part in from driving a car in a simulated race to being part of a pit crew during a pit stop. It’s something to take in for sure if you are a fan. For a nice dinner and a great view of the city try the Fahrenheit restaurant atop of the Hyatt Place Charlotte. On our way down to Columbia we had a bite at Pinky’s Westside Grill as seen on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. There is definitely some excellent food. You have to try any of the burgers!!

During our time in Columbia we were able to see some of the attractions it has to offer close to the downtown area. If you like to be at the park, Finlay Park is within walking dis-tance. We also took in the Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens. There was a wide variety of animals and fish. It’s a great place for the whole family. Getting back from the zoo we experienced using UBER for the first time. Other attrac-tions downtown included the Columbia Museum of Art as well as the South Carolina State House. There are plenty of good spots to eat in the downtown area. Two that we were able to try were the Wild Wing Cafe with a huge varie-ty of wing flavours to choose from as well as the Bourbon Street Grill. If you go to the Grill definitely try the “hushpuppies”!

We also had the oppor-tunity to make our way to Sa-vannah, Georgia where we were able to tour Savan-nah’s Historic District. The best way to go is on a guided tour. We took the Old Town

Trolley Tour. The tour guide was a wealth of knowledge and provided all kinds of information about the parks, homes, historical sites, and the statues. They also tell of the people that are and have been part of the District, and provided an excellent overview of the restaurants on River Street. This street has lots of shopping as well. Here you can walk on the cobblestone and pick up a few souvenirs and get a bite to eat. One stop we made was at the Boar’s Head Grill and Tavern which was worth the visit. We made our way to Tybee Island for the afternoon where we relaxed for awhile and enjoyed the beach, as well as a dip in the ocean.

Myrtle Beach was another area we were able to tour. We enjoyed the beach, toured the boardwalk and did some sightseeing. If you are a golf-er this is defi-nitely a place you should check out. There are all kinds of excellent courses in the area. Unfortunately for us we didn’t get the chance to play, maybe next time!

One of our final areas we were able to visit was Charleston, South Carolina. Here is another city rich in history. There are many plantations to visit in the area. We made a short stop at Middleton Place Plantation. It is a National Historic Landmark dating back to the 1700’s boasting 65 acres of gardens. We made our way to Folly Beach for a few hours. Here is another great place to enjoy some sun and sand! While we were in Charleston we visited Waterfront Park and White Point Gardens. Both overlook the Charleston harbour and provide views of Fort Sumter in the distance. We even managed to see a few dolphins in the harbour. In this area you can also get a view of Rainbow Row. These are a group of mid 1700 homes on Bay street that are all painted in a different variety of colors. Fort Sumter is a Na-tional Monument and definitely something to see. This is where the first shots of the American Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861. Daily tours are available to visit where you can learn about the Fort and the Civil War.

Columbia and the surrounding area provided many great attractions for all. There are a wide variety of things to see and do from great dining, to beaches, to many historical points of interest. Plan your trip to Burlington now. Make it a Family Vacation.

NAWEOA 2015 ATTRACTIONS Columbia South Carolinia

By Mike Sitko

Middleton Place Plantation

Tybee Island


2015 Torch Run/Walk By Lawrence Hergenroeder

The 15th Annual Torch Run was held on Tuesday July 28th at 6:00 pm at the Riverfront Park in Columbia, SC. Nearly 100 participants competed in a scenic run/walk on the paved city bike trail overlooking the Columbia River. The weather at the hotel had us holding our breath thinking the event would be a wash out but mother nature prevailed and kept the 5K course rain free. Threating skies for heavy thunder storms kept adverting south of the area as the real issue was the temperature and humidity level being in the 90’s. Runners and walk-ers consumed nearly 10 cases of water but everyone completed the course without incident. Runners and walkers were greeted at the finish by North American Game War-den Board members serving pizza and soda from Pa Pa John’s Piz-za. Due to pending weather a brief awards ceremony followed the meal for five classes of com-petitors with top honors for fast-est time of 22:02 overall going to Sean Spencer of Utah. Other runners / walkers placing in their respective classes were: Mens: 1st: Sean Spencer 22:02 2nd: Dennis Shumway 22:28 3rd: Adam Hill 23:51 Womens: 1st: Julie Lininger 27:27 2nd: Robin Sullivan 28:00 3rd: Jenna Reed 32:28 Youth: 1st: Conrad Youngquist 25:48 2nd: Oliver Selesse 27:58 3rd: Jeremy Beltran 37:45 Over 50 Men and Women: 1st: Robert Dougherty 27:51 2nd: Ken Snowden 28:10 3rd: Scott Adams 29:15 Walkers: 1st: Dave Palmer 37:37 2nd: Roger Selesse 39:10 3rd: Michel Morin 42:19 I would like to thank every-one (Sponsors, volunteers, NAWEOA & NAGWM Board Mem-bers) that made this event a success. Through the generous donations of spon-sors (mainly Officer Associations) the event raised $4306.53 for the NAGWM. Sincerely, WCO Lawrence R. Hergenroeder

Field Notes Fall 2015

The paving stone program has been a tremendous success! To date, over 470 paving stones have been purchased

and placed at the museum.

The Museum would like to thank everyone who has supported us over the years

by giving away the 500th paving stone purchased at the museum.

To commemorate the sale of the 500th stone, we will reimburse the purchaser the full price!

The winning purchase will be determined

by the date the request to purchase is made.

Thank you for supporting the museum and helping to create our paving stone display.

GOOD LUCK!!!


■ Paving stones are age, weather and traffic-resistant black polished granite, sized 12" x 12" ■ Engraved paving stones provide plenty of room for personal inscription in memory, honor or thanks ■ Each sponsored stone will be placed on the museum grounds for public appre-ciation ■ Paving stones can also include an engraved logo ■ Stones may be sponsored by individuals, families, organizations or businesses ■

Examples of Engraved Paving Stones

Honor a Family Member

Demonstrate Family Support

Memorialize a Fallen Officer

Honor Outstanding Achievement

Just Say Thank You

Demonstrate Support

Celebrate Partnerships

Honor Officer Retirements

A thank you card and a photo of your paving stone will be sent to you upon its completion. A gift acknowledgement is also available upon request.

Museum staff will be available to assist visitors in locating their paving stone on the museum grounds.


1. Circle the type of stone your wish to purchase

2. Print your full inscription in the 75 character spaces below, including punctuation and space between words

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For logo engraving, attach a clean, original copy and provide contact information for our engraver.

Contact person for logo: ______________________________ Contact number: ___________________________ Your contact information is critical. In some cases, the number of characters

may have to be reduced to allow space for logo detail.

3. Complete the sponsor and payment information

SUPPORT THE GAME WARDEN

MUSEUM PURCHASE A PAVING STONE

Amount of this sponsorship $ _________________________ Phone ___________________________________________ Check, Money Order payable to: NAWEMMEC or Credit Card (Master Card or Visa) # ________________________________________________ Expiration Date _________________Security Code _______ Mail to: 10939 Peace Garden Road, Dunseith, ND 58329 Or P.O Box 1239 Boissevain, MB R0K 0E0

Sponsor Information Payment Options Name____________________________________________ Address __________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Email Address ____________________________________

gamewardenmuseum.org

Engraved Paving Stone $150

Engraved Paving Stone With Logo

$150

GAME WARDEN MUSEUM VISITING OFFICERS

Each summer the Museum welcomes Officers to participate in our Visiting Officer Program. Officers spend a weekend at the Museum, with accommodations provided. Short programs are typically offered in addition to just “hanging out” at the Museum interacting with our visi-tors. Not just the program itself, but the whole experience of staying at the Peace Garden and seeing the Museum, a place that celebrates the Game Warden profession, is really cool. Presentations can be as simple as the standard “who we are and what we do” or can be more elaborate. Every game warden has interesting stories and since every state is dif-ferent, the material is always fresh. The whole experience could be a great family experience. Please consider joining us next summer. See our website for contact information.!

POLAR BEAR EXHIBIT A New Exhibit will be open for the 2016 Season thanks to a donation from Manitoba

Conservation and Water. The bear, having been euthanized by Offic-ers in Churchill, Manitoba after it had displayed aggressive behavior towards people, became part of a project by Environment Canada to test the durability of micro chip tagging during the tanning and taxidermy process. The Muse-um plans on developing a display to educate the public on the role that Conservation Of-ficer’s play in protecting the people of Churchill and the bears that migrate through the town each year. The display will also expand on the project initiated by Environment Canada and how this enforcement effort will protect polar bears from illegal harvest in the future. It is sure to become one of our main attrac-tions.

CREDIT CARDS NOW ACCEPTED

The Museum is pleased to announce that it now accepts Paving Stone and Life Member

payments on both Visa and Master Card.

This really simpli-fies the process for Life Member appli-cants, a pledge pro-gram spread over a selected time period to become a perma-nent Life Member of the Game Warden Museum.

Please consider joining this program to become a Life-

time Member of the Game Warden Museum Family. For more information, visit our website or contact our Membership Coordinator at [email protected].

APPLICATION

ANNUAL LIFE Date of Application__________________ Name__________________________________ Email Address_____________________________ Address________________________________ Agency & Position _________________________ City ___________________________________ _________________________________________ State/Province __________________________ Phone No ________________________________ POSTAL CODE _________________________

Number _______________________________________ Expiration Date____________ Code________

Authorizing signature__________________________ DATE______________

I'd like to become a Museum Member

Individual Member (Annual) $25 After renewing this membership two consecutive years, the $75 you have paid can be transferred toward a Life Membership Plan. You will receive a Museum Decal and 10% off all Museum products.

Individual Life Member Installment Plan Payments of $75 yearly (or any amount over $75 you may want to add) until reaching $750.00 With a full paid ( $750) Life Membership, you will receive a Life Member Certificate, a vinyl Membership Card, Life Member Decal, 20% discount on all Museum products, and an embroidered Life Member Jacket.

Checks payable to Game Warden Museum or NAWEMMEC

Send to;

10939 Peace Garden Road, Dunseith, ND 58329 or

PO Box 1239, Boissevain, MB R0K 0E0

Your payment is considered a tax-deductible contribution as defined

by US and Canadian charitable contribution guidelines;

NAWEMMEC Canada, Inc. NAWEMMEC USA, Inc.

149(1)(F) Charitable Org. 501-©3 Non-Profit Org.

Canada # 0999441-50 USA # 45-0436114

PAYMENT BY CHECK CASH CREDIT CARD VISA MASTER CARD

$75.00 for Life Installment Program ($75 Minimum, however you can pay more than

$75 if you wish.)

$_________Amount if more than $75. JACKET SIZE ___________

$25 for one year Annual Membership (you may renew two more years consecutively and

switch to Life membership) I plan to continue payments and count my payments toward a Life Membership.


Rapport du President Lew Huddleston

Hey Bien Columbia est maintenant derrière nous . Une multitude de remercîment sont envers un bon nombre de personnes. Je ne veux pas essayer de nommer tous les gens qui ont contri-bué au succès de cette conférence, parce que je sais que j’en manquerais quelque un et ne veux pas que cela arrive. Il suffit de dire qu’un grand nombre de personne ont aidé à organiser la con-férence 2015.Je vais prendre une minute pour remercie tous spécialement Rich Cramer. Rich a pris la responsabilité d’agent de liaison et a été essentiellement le pilier de l’entière conférence. Un nombre de personne se sont avancer pour aider à certaine autre tâche, mais Rich a été celui qui a su faire tenir le tous en un ensemble. Une autre personne que l’on doit remercier, est Tama-ra Schneider avec Milligan’s. Elle été d’un grand aide et nous a fait économiser un montant d’ar-gent substantiel. Parlant d’argent, nous devons mentionner que la conférence de Columbia c’est terminer avec un bilan financier positif. On ne sait pas encore combien mais cela ne devrais tarder. Maintenant je regarde en avant, pour la confé-rence 2016 a Burlington au Vermont. Je suis ex-trêmement exciter. Parce que je ne suis jamais aller dans cette partie du pays. Le 2ieme grand aspect de la conférence est que les Officiers qui font partie de l’Association des Agent de Conser-vation du Vermont vont embarquer et vont être une grande aide pour la prochaine conférence. Avec Scott Haney qui va fournir son expertise, je suis très enthousiasme pour la conférence de 2016. Au cas où vous n’avez pas encore appris la nouvelle la conférence sera de 5 jours avec des sorties d’organiser et aussi nos fameux jeux d’habiliter pour les agents L’autre grosse nouvelle est que l’exécutif va con-tinuer à explorer la possibilité de travailler avec Brent Wyatt-West and Paul Dinnerman. Ils ven-dront de la publicité pour notre magasine IGW. Il est a souhaiter que nous aurons une bonne idée à savoir où nous irons avec cela, par le temps que nous ayons notre conférence au Vermont . S’ils réussirent pour le IGW comme ils l’ont fait avec plusieurs autre magasine, cela pourrais être un énorme revenu pour NAWEOA. Il semble que l’été viens tous juste de commen-cer et nous sommes justes à se préparer pour l’automne qui arrive. Je sais que dans l’Idaho nous avons commencé la chasse au Wapiti avec carabine a quelques endroits depuis plus d’un

mois. La chasse à l’arc est commencée à la grandeur de l’état depuis le 30 août pour le che-vreuil et le wapiti. Sous peu nous seront tous très occuper. Je veux prendre le temps de souhaiter a tout un automne productive et surtout quel soit des plus sécuritaire. J’anticipe de vous rencon-trer en juillet l’an prochain à Burlington

Message du vice-président Shawn Farrell

Je suis vraiment honoré et excité d'être le pro-chain vice-président pour NAWEOA et j’ai hate de travailler avec le conseil d'administration et nos membres. Je suis employé par le gouverne-ment provincial (Sécurité publique) depuis 2002. En tant de caporal, je suis responsable de la su-pervision d'un personnel de 10 lors d'une pa-trouille de la zone de la Région 3 Ouest. Pour la dernière année et demie, je suis détaché à le siège provinciaux en tant que sergent. Mon épouse, Shelley et moi avons deux garçons, Spencer (19) et Ryan (16) et nous habitent à Fre-dericton, Nouveau-Brunswick. La plupart de mon temps libre est consacré à des terrains de balle, des patinoires de hockey ou les gymnases sco-laires. Avec le temps qui reste, j’aime être à l'ex-

térieur, la chasse, la pêche, le canoë et partici-per avec diverses organi-sations communautaires bénévoles. Je suis devenu impliqué avec NAWEOA en 2003 après avoir assis-té à ma première confé-rence à Terre-Neuve. En 2009, j’ai participé au co-mité d'organisation pour accueillir la conférence

NAWEOA au Nouveau-Brunswick. Après avoir reçu un appel téléphonique me demandant si je pourrais accepter une nomination pour le vice-président, je accepté sans hésiter. Même si je ne pouvais pas participer à la conférence de cet été en Caroline du Sud, j'ai entendu de nombreux commentaires positifs au sujet du format de la conférence raccourci par rapport aux confé-rences précédentes. Je tiens à remercier les membres présents et passés du conseil qui ont fait ça une réussite. Comme un conseil sortant et membre du comité, je sais de première main le dévouement qui va dans la planification d'un évé-nement réussi.


La conférence de l'été prochain aura lieu à Bur-lington, au Vermont, et sera de retour à un format de cinq jours. Un grand merci à l'Association gardes-chasse du Vermont pour avançant pour aider à la conférence 2016. Il a été difficile ces derniers temps pour trouver des agences-hôtes en ces temps de restrictions budgétaires. Avec beaucoup de considération et avec Scott Haney en tant que notre agent de liaison de la confé-rence, nous sommes en bonnes mains. Merci Scott pour tout votre travail. Si vous connaissez des organismes / associations envisagent de re-lever les défis enrichissants de accueillir une con-férence, s'il vous plaît contactez la liaison de con-férence NAWEOA Scott Haney au [email protected]. En tant que vice-président, l'un de mes responsa-bilités principales est de travailler sur l'administra-tion des Prix de NAWEOA. J'encourage tous les membres de la NAWEOA à visiter le site Web et découvrez les prix et les critères pour chacune. S'il vous plaît prendre le temps d'envisager de soumettre les noms de membres pour les diffé-rents prix. Si quelqu'un veut me contacter, mon courriel est [email protected]. L'automne est à nos portes et l'hiver suivra. Prenez soin de res-ter en sécurité. Je souhaite voir tout le monde l'été prochain en Vermont. Shawn Farrell Vice-president NAWEOA Bulletin information d’automne de NAWEOA

Réunions d'affaires par Dave Webster

Au cours de la Conférence, il y a deux réunions exécutives et deux réunions d'affaires générales. Je voudrais prendre cette occasion pour remercier tous les membres qui ont assisté aux sessions générales d’affaires, car il est extrêmement im-portant d'avoir autant de membres que possible d’assisté à ces réunions afin de fournir des commentaires et info au Con-seil d'administration. Il est de coutume pour le Conseil d'administration de la NAWEOA de se rencontrer la journée avant l'ouverture de la Conférence d'été et cette année il n’y avait pas d’exception. Il y a eu une petite modification par le Conseil Exécutive, le di-manche avant la Conférence du lundi, a été désignée comme une journée de travail pour les dernières préparations avant la cérémonie d'ouverture mardi. Le direction s'est réuni à l'hôtel de conférence le 26 juillet au 0800hr pour discuter une variété de sujets, qui comprenait

des rapports régionaux de l'administration. Rob Brandenburg a présenté le rapport de Webmaster/bulletin d'information et une mise à jour par Scott Haney Liaison de Conférence a été donnée au Conseil d'administration. Une des parties plus importantes de cette rencontre est la révision du budget et la préparation à être présenté pour l'approbation par les membres. Cette année, un des plus gros sujet de discussion a été pour le site future de la conférence et pour la prochaine juridiction d'hôtesse. Réunion a terminée à 17 :17 hrs. Le 29 juillet à 10 00 hrs NAWEOA la réunion d’affaire re-prend aves les membres présent et le budget est présentée pour examen et approbation par le Secrétaire/Trésorier Steve Beltran de NAWEOA. Une mise à jour IGW ( Muse interna-tional des agents ) a été fournie par Marion Hoffman quant à un nouveau partenariat avec Brent Wyatt-Ouest publicité pour augmenter le revenu. Scott Haney a fait une présenta-tion décrivant la Conférence prochaine qui se tiendra à Bur-lington dans le Vermont. Ancien Président Rich Cramer a ensuite adresser les membres concernant les élections pour chacune des quatre régions américaines qui sont due pour une élection, ainsi pour le poste de président et vice-président. Réunion a terminée à 1200 heures. La deuxième réunion d'affaires de genres s'est tenue le 30 juillet à 1100 heures. Rob Brandenburg a fourni une mise à jour du site Web/bulletin d'information et a annoncé qu'il pren-drait sa retraite dans un an et que son poste devra être rem-pli. Jon Tofteland a ensuite parlé au nom du Musée Interna-tional de la garde. Réunion a terminée à 11 :20 heures L'exécutif a tenu leur deuxième et dernière séance le vendre-di 31 juillet à 09 h 00. Nouvellement élu Président Lew Huddleston de l'Idaho a présidé la réunion et nous ont ac-cueillis les quatre nouveaux administrateurs à l'Office, Rick Langley de l'Arizona, Jeff Jones de Nebraska, Jason Blaylock du Mississippi et Kevin Clayton du Massachusetts. Sujets discuté comprenaient des responsabilités des membres du Conseil NAWEOA fait appel au Agent de la faune fé-dérale américaine sur les a faune ne nécessitant ne pas de feu sur le territoire domanial et une lettre de réponse doit être envoyée par le Président Huddles-ton. La Commission a ensuite discuté des choses pour la prochaine conférence dans le Vermont comme il n'y a encore aucun hôte officielle l'année prochaine. Le Conseil a ensuite entendu de Jeff King, le coordonnateur de la formation pour ANRET qui est intéressé par un partenariat avec NAWEOA par la conférence annuelle. Réunion a terminée à 1100 heures.

Dave Webster

Ex-Président de NAWEOA





North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association 2016 Annual Conference

Burlington, Vermont

Burlington, Vermont, is the host city for the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association (NAWEOA) Annual Conference in 2016. NAWEOA will be taking its 2016 An-nual Conference to the Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center, July 9 through July 15, with opening ceremonies on Monday, July 11. The NAWEOA Board, along with the Ver-mont Game Warden Association, will work together to once again bring an exciting, training oriented, and family friendly conference to its members. The Sheraton Hotel and the Vermont Convention Bureau staff are assisting with coordination of a productive and enjoyable confer-ence. Officers and their families will be presented excellent training, networking opportuni-ties, and a great time enjoying what Vermont has to offer. The 2016 NAWEOA Annual Conference will “unofficially” open on July 9 and 10 with officer and family tour opportunities and an Executive Board meeting. During the “official” opening ceremonies, local dignitaries will be introduced, our Fallen Officers will be honored, and at-tendees will have the opportunity to listen to a keynote speaker. During the conference, offic-ers will be presented with excellent training presentations, NAWEOA business meetings, and the opportunity to discuss issues faced by all officers across North America. The conference will once again present “Warden Skills”. These events are designed to instill the need for officers to work together as a team to complete a compilation of scenarios with in-serted “roadblocks”. The scenarios do a great job of teaching officers that some job challenges can best be completed when they work as a team. The week winds down with a banquet where officers and spouses/guests have the opportunity to relax after a week of training, meetings and networking. The banquet consists of a sit-down dinner, short business program, live auction, and a dance.


There are two main choices for flying into Burlington one being directly into the Burlington International Airport, which is about one mile from the Sheraton Hotel. The Sheraton will provide a free shuttle service and we will work with them on a schedule that should make pickup and delivery as efficient as possible. The other option (and the closest Southwest flies into) would be Albany, New York. That option would require car rental and about 144 mile 3 hour country drive.

The Sheraton Hotel is working hard to make the 2016 conference a great experience for all attendees. The room rate will be $125.00 a night and before you wonder is that the best “we” could do I want to let you know that includes 50% off discount for attendees’ food in either of the two restaurants. I believe 50% off on food during your stay at the Sher-aton is worth a few dollars more a night for the room. Once the 2016 conference website is up and running there will be a link for ho-

tel reservations or you can call directly and let them know you are with NAWEOA. Please make preparations to join us for the NAWEOA 2016 Annual Conference in Burlington, Vermont, at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel. We look forward to meeting you there! If you have any questions, comments or need information please feel free to contact me. Scott Haney North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers’ Association Conference Liaison [email protected]

Fun Things To Do Around Burlington The ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center Find out what’s underwater at this interactive science museum; there are more than 70 species fea-tured in ever-changing exhibits. It also hosts an adult-friendly cocktail party called ECHO After Dark on the second Thursday of every month.

Church Street Marketplace While the advent of the indoor shopping mall in the 1970's meant the death of most pedestrian malls, this one—established in 1981—still buzzes with activity.

Mt. Philo State Park Situated atop the eponymous Mt. Philo, this 168-acre park contains a small, 10-site camping area as well as an enclosed picnic pavilion that can be rented for special events.

Umiak More than anything, Umiak Outdoor Outfitters wants to get people moving — either paddling on Vermont’s rivers and lakes in the summer or gliding through the winter snow on skis, snowshoes, or dog sleds.


http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington/things-to-do/the-echo-lake-aquarium-and-science-center

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington/things-to-do/church-street-marketplace

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington/things-to-do/mt-philo-state-park

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington/things-to-do/umiak


Shelburne Museum For many visitors, this 45-acre museum feels more like a wonderland than a museum, thanks mainly to the village-like layout that incorporates 25 historic buildings relocated here by founder and Ameri-can folk art collector Electra Havemeyer Webb.

Mad River Glen Mad River Glen is an obstinate throwback. It is owned cooperatively by shareholders whose vehicles are plastered with red-and-white ski it if you can bumper stickers. Mad River Glen has no snowmak-ing equipment. Boarding is banned.

Daily Chocolate Pop in for a cup of hot cocoa, made with organic sugar, milk, vanilla, and a scoop of ganache.

Moss Glen Falls The 20-foot waterfall offers a stunning panorama of golden hardwoods.

University of Vermont Morgan Horse Farm The French Second Empire-style barn at the center of the Morgan Horse Farm is a white Victorian structure with a mansard roof and widow's walk.

ECHO at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain As part of the revitalization of Burlington’s waterfront, the city opened the ECHO Center in 2003 to celebrate, preserve, and promote Lake Champlain.

Evansville Trading Post In the rural Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, the Evansville Trading Post offers a rare venue for one-stop shopping.

Sugarbush Sugarbush recently received a $60-million upgrade. Former Merrill Lynch International chairman Win Smith heads up a posse of investors committed to maintaining the crunchy zeitgeist of the classic ski mountain.

Burlington Bike Path Stretching from south Burlington to the Winooski River delta, this 7.6-mile recreational path is popu-lar with joggers, bikers, and inline skaters.

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington/things-to-do/shelburne-museum

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/waitsfield/things-to-do/mad-river-glen

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington/things-to-do/daily-chocolate

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington-northern-vermont/things-to-do/moss-glen-falls

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/weybridge/things-to-do/university-of-vermont-morgan-horse-farm

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington/things-to-do/echo-at-the-leahy-center-for-lake-champlain

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington-northern-vermont/things-to-do/evansville-trading-post

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/warren/things-to-do/sugarbush

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/burlington/things-to-do/burlington-bike-path

The original pen and ink was hand-colored by the artist for use on the cover of the Idaho Wildlife Magazine.

Bill Pogue’s family generously allowed the use of Bill’s art work “The Trapper”

as a fund raiser for the North American Game Warden Museum.

Visit the Museum booth at the Reno, Nevada NAWEOA conference to purchase your Museum edition print for $20.

Proceeds to the Museum and its mission of honoring fallen officers.

Permission for reprint granted by family and agency.

www.gamewardenmuseum.org

The Trapper by fallen

Idaho Wildlife Officer and artist Bill Pogue

http://www.gamewardenmuseum.org

64th Edition 2015 Fall

Documents

Transcript of 64th Edition 2015 Fall